Kosovo Military - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

Kosovo Security Force (KSF; Forca e Sigurisë së Kosovës or FSK): Land Force, National Guard (2023)

note: the Kosovo Police are under the Ministry of Internal Affairs

Military expenditures

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

0.8% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3,300 KSF personnel, including about 800 reserves (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the KSF is equipped with small arms and light vehicles and has relied on limited amounts of donated equipment from several countries, particularly Turkey and the US (2023)

Military service age and obligation

service is voluntary; must be over the age of 18 and a citizen of Kosovo; upper age for enlisting is 30 for officers, 25 for other ranks, although these may be waived for recruits with key skills considered essential for the KSF
(2023)

Military - note

the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) has operated in the country as a peace support force since 1999; KFOR is responsible for providing a safe and secure environment and ensuring freedom of movement for all citizens, as well as assisting in developing the Kosovo Security Force; it numbers about 3,700 troops from 27 countries (2023)

NOTE: The information regarding Kosovo on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Kosovo 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Kosovo 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.